Lac-Mégantic was the scene of a wedding on Saturday, one that almost did not take place. Manon Parisé and her husband Marco Nuñez were married earlier in Mexico where the couple live most of the year. But the bride wanted to celebrate their nuptials in her hometown as well.
Manon Parisé is a language professor at Anáhuac University in Queretaro, Mexico, and Marco Nuñez is a music producer in Mexico.
All the arrangements had been made for a celebration on July 13th, but the horrific events of last weekend when the runaway train derailed and several explosions demolished the centre of the town left the couple not knowing how to proceed.
“We heard the first explosion and got on the balcony,” Parisé said.in an interview with CBC Radio. “We saw everything.” Not long after the third explosion firefighters informed the couple they had three hours to gather some valuables and make arrangements to leave the premises. With passports and important papers in one hand and their wedding attire in another the couple was unable to return for three days.
Amid the sorrow and devastation they assumed their celebration would be cancelled. And then they began making enquiries. “First we called the hall,” Nuñez said. “They said, ‘No problem. We can do it.’” Then the cake maker, and she, too, was enthusiastic.
Manon Parisé said hairdresser Rachelle Longpre, who’d lost her salon in the fire, said it would do her good to do a wedding and went to work on the wedding party in the bride’s kitchen.
All 48 of the guests attended the celebration just 4 kilometres from the site of the train derailment.
The couple said they were proud to share some good news from the town that is the location of so much bad news these days.
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